I'm Not Everybody
by Voria Fyorai
Summary: SIRIUS BLACK/OC--about girl that starts hogwarts in Black's fifth year might continue upto his end in OOTP FINALLY UPDATED, SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!
1. Leaving for Hogwarts

"Hurry up, we haven't got all day, Ria." I glared at him. You'd think that only a week to prepare for a new school seemed a little close, and that wasn't even counting the funeral. I sighed; I didn't believe that my parents were dead, just missing in action. I guess you could say I wasn't your average American teenager. I have long black hair that fell down to my upper waist in soft waves. My eyes are a sharp grey that seemed to flash when I was angry, or at least that's what everyone said.

"Ugh, I'm coming all ready, Rob." Rob was the annoying son of my new guardian…my previous butler. It was odd, I know, for me to have a butler, let alone a _guardian_ butler, however in my parents' will it had clearly said who they wanted to take care of me. Mike, my butler…er _guardian_, was a really nice person, and I tried not to take advantage of him. The truth was he was a pushover, to him I wasn't a child in his care but his previous employers' daughter. Mike was a good man though, and he never tried to trick me out of my money, not that I would fall for it anyway.

Rob was another story. As soon as he realized he was now my, I gagged as I thought this, _older brother_, he had tried to get as much money as he could. His excuse was we were family and I had to help him and give him things. Whenever I would ask what _he_ would give _me_, I received a glare or silence.

I went back to packing, and just as I finished stuffing the last of my books into my trunk, there was a sharp noise at the window. I looked out and saw Thorn, my peregrine falcon, with a note tied around his leg. Curious, I opened my window and let him in. He pecked my finger affectionately and flew to his temporary perch in my room. I turned over the envelope and saw the Hogwarts seal. I opened the note,

_Ms. Fyorai,_

_I am pleased to hear that you have chosen Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to further your career as a young witch. I would like for you to meet me in my office the day after the Sorting so that we may choose your classes for the year. I hope you will find Hogwarts to your liking._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

I was only 13, but I was going to be a fifth year at Hogwarts. My parents had home schooled in magic since I was ten, and Dumbledore had tested my magical knowledge. He had decided that fifth year would be best for me. Although I was home schooled in magic, my parents had still expected me to go to a Muggle junior high school. I didn't really mind, I loved to sketch and my school had really good drawing/sketching/painting classes. I thought how different the two styles of teaching were, different things were useful for the different worlds, of course. I sighed (I'd been doing that a lot the past few days), I'd miss my Muggle friends in Jersey. One good thing about moving to England would be the British accents, but that still wouldn't make up for leaving my home.

Well, I'd already bought the basic books for fifth year Herbology, Charms, Potions, Transfigurations, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. The other books I would get after I'd decided which classes I was going to take. That's it, guess I'm ready for Hogwarts…


	2. New Meetings

Chapter Two

I looked doubtfully at the solid brick wall in front of me. Although, living with wizards, I had come to see many a strange sight, I couldn't think of myself running into a wall. _Oh stop being a baby_ I told myself_ if a bunch of eleven year olds can do it so can I._ I took a deep breath, surreptitiously looked around for Muggles, and then ran as quickly as I could through the wall that was 9 and 3/4. When I got to the other side, I sheepishly opened my eyes that had without my control closed as I'd passed the gate. I looked around to see if anyone had seen my childish fear of running into a wall. Seeing no one looking at me, I took a deep breath and walked towards the train. In my single-minded escape to the train, I accidentally hit someone with my trunk.

"Oi, watch it!" the boy exclaimed. I could feel the heat rushing up my cheeks.

"S-Sorry," I stammered. I finally took a look at the guy and saw a gorgeous teen with startling gray eyes and black hair. I almost grinned when I realized how similar our basic features were. Then, I noticed the roguish scowl and wondered if this was some sort of arrogant prick. The kind that I'd always hated back at my middle school. Without another word I walked away and dragged my two trunks off the trolley and onto the train. I was astounded by the amount of activity on the train. I hadn't expected it to be so wild, it was louder than my bus to school and there were plenty of annoying guys on _that_ bus. Then again, the guys on my bus didn't have to spend all summer not using the magic they knew they could do. I sighed (get used to it…I'm not depressed though), magic could be very loud.

I walked down the aisle looking for a compartment that I could possibly sit in, preferably empty. I saw a Bat-Bogey hex coming my way and with a flick of my wand, used the _Protego_ shield spell. It was just in time, and I probably wouldn't have made it if it hadn't been nonverbal.

Just at that moment, a compartment slid open. I saw a girl of around 15 or 16 with beautiful auburn hair and animated green eyes. "Hello," she greeted me, "My name is Lily Evans, and this," she pointed at a rather greasy haired and sulky teen, "is Severus Snape." I smiled brightly at her and…not so brightly at the other guy. Could I help it? The guy creeped me out for some reason. "That was some pretty good spell work, non-verbal, huh?"

I grinned, "Yeah, that's how I was taught." She looked a bit confused. "I was—"

"Why, hello there Lily, mind if I sit here." Lily looked over my shoulder and glared. I grimaced, I would _not_ like to be on the receiving end of that. Out of curiosity, I turned around, and who would I see except that guy that I'd knocked over outside the train. There were two other guys there as well. One of them had messy black hair and black eyes. He was the one that Lily was glaring at so vehemently. Then there was a small, meek, looking boy. I frowned, _How had he managed to get in with them?_ It was an interesting thought, I mean, anyone who looked at them would see the huge difference.

"James Potter, what are you doing? I thought I told you to stop annoying me." Lily groaned. I grinned, seemed like someone was a little obsessed with Lily. The boy with the messy hair sighed. _Oh, so that's James. _I thought, _I wonder who the others are._ The boy that I'd hit earlier seemed to suddenly notice me.

"Well, look who it is," he said. I scowled, _Great, the twit remembers me._

"Hello, I'm Voria Fyorai. Gonna be in fifth year." The others looked at me strangely.

"Fifth? We're all in fifth year and we don't remember you," deliberated the black-haired fiend… well, maybe fiend went too far.

"That's because I just transferred here, I was home schooled."

"Yeah, but you don't seem to be 15 to me," an annoyingly squeaky voice said. I glared at the mousy little guy. He seemed to shrink back a little, _Coward._

"Yeah, well, maybe it's 'cause I'm not. I'm 13." Severus and the prat (the one I knocked over) were at this moment glaring at each other, however, my little announcement seemed to get their attention.

"Only 13? You must be pretty advanced."

"No, I just started when I was ten instead of when I was eleven is all." I really wished they would introduce themselves.

"Oh, by the way, I'm James," the messy haired guy said, "That's Sirius and that's Peter," he pointed at the dark haired boy and the meek follower respectively.

"Thanks, I've been thinking in terms of brown and black," I grinned.

"Not far off the mark there, I'm Sirius Black, Voria."

"Ria's fine. Anyway, what's Hogwarts like anyway?" The boys, excluding Severus, looked really happy.

"The best…place for pranks!" I smiled and shook my head. Peter caught my eye and grinned in a way that said, that's pretty usual for James and Sirius. James, Sirius, and Peter left me with Severus and Lily. I decided to get some snacks and enjoy the ride.


	3. So, this is Hogwarts

_Previously: Ria met James, Sirius, Peter, Severus, and Lily. The Marauders left and_

_Voria decided to enjoy the rest of the ride. I'm not sure when James saved Snape from the werewolf prank, but I'll make it this year._

_**NOTE** I'm not sure of the dates, so this will be taking place modern day. I know that_

_Harry's time is in modern day but I really don't want to go back fifteen years. It's not really important but I just wanted to make it clear. ^_^_

_Thanks to: _MissBlack2 , Iona-Findlay , and twilight. ninja. forever for reviewing!

Chapter Three

After changing into the standard robes, I went back to the compartment I was sharing with Lily and Severus. "So, Ria, what classes are you taking this year?"

I grinned, five minutes back in the compartment and already bombarded with questions from Lily. "I'm going to be picking with Dumbledore after the Sorting."

"Oh, that's right, you haven't been sorted yet. I wonder what house you'll be in."

"I'll tell you after, I'm having a private Sorting after the official first year one."

Lily sighed, I think I've been rubbing off on her.

"Then, what house table are you going to be sitting at during the feast? I know, why don't you sit with me at the Gryffindor table. We'll be sure to sit away from Potter."

"Hey, why do you hate them so much, are they really that bad? I understand with Sirius, he looks like bad news, but why James?"

"Ria, you don't know James…believe if he was as onto you as he is on me then you'd be forced to see how annoying he really is." _Wow, someone has anger issues. I wonder what James ever did to her._ I sat down next to Lily. All of a sudden, Severus started talking.

"No, the both of them are horrible. They never show the girls their true selves but I know. I've been on the receiving end of their pranks for years." I was startled by the hatred in his voice. The train was getting slower, I shivered in anticipation. I was finally going to be able to be with other witches and wizards. I subtly glanced at Severus, he seemed to have calmed down a bit. He was, however, still scowling out the window.

As the Hogwarts Express came to a complete stop, I jumped up and grabbed my luggage. Lily smiled, "Seems you're excited, you're like a first year. Leave your stuff, they will be put in your room." I glared at her, I was only thirteen but that doesn't mean I want to be mistaken for an eleven year old. I mean, it doesn't seem like a big difference, but it's like comparing a freshman to a seventh grader…which _is_ a big difference. I decided to ignore the comment for now and picked up my luggage. I got to one of the doors. _This is it…_

I stepped out and gasped. I saw a magnificent castle with an ancient but homey look to it. There was a wide expanse of grass and a beautiful lake on the grounds. There were some trees on the school grounds, but one giant tree caught my attention. It seemed to be leaning towards the students as if it wanted to whack them. _Calm down, Ria. The excitement is getting to your head, trees don't whack people._ I turned around and to the far off left, I saw a giant forest. I smirked, I would have to go visit that place, I loved to sketch trees and they looked downright odd. There was a cottage on the grounds as well, near the forest.

"Come on, Ria, the carriages are going to be filled up. You can stare all you want after we get settled in. We do have off tomorrow, you know." It was true, this year, September 1st had happened to be a Friday so I had a whole weekend to become acquainted with my new home.

"All right, Lils, I'm coming." I tore my gaze away from the forest and the cottage and followed Lily to the carriages. I finally looked at the carriages themselves and stopped walking in surprise. They were moving…but nothing was pulling them. _I wonder, are they some kind of mechanical device or is magic pulling them? Probably magic._ I still wasn't sure so I decided to ask Lily.

"Don't be silly, Ria, Muggle mechanics and stuff don't work on the grounds. So, I suppose it's magic, but I'm not sure. We'll ask a professor sometime." With that explanation, Lily proceeded to drag me to the closest vacant carriage.

"Hey, Lil, where's Severus?" She scowled and waved her arm dismissively over to a set of carriages on the edge of the group.

"He's gone off to his little friends in Slytherin. I don't know why he even hangs out with them. They're just trouble." I decided to drop the subject. We spent a few moments in silence as the carriages began their approach to the school. I determined to break the awkward atmosphere by asking Lily a question.

"So…what's your Mu--- er family like?" She looked up in surprise at the noise and sighed.

"Well, Mum and Dad are good enough. Petunia is another story." She noticed my blank expression and explained, "Petunia is my sister. She's very jealous of my magic and to not show it has decided that all witches and wizards are freaks. She didn't think that when she begged Dumbledore to let her in." I let out a low whistle, so much for easing the atmosphere. Then came the follow-up question I should have expected. "So, what's your family like?"

I looked away from her and stared out of the carriage, my hands tightly clenching the cloth on the seat. "I don't want to talk about it." She looked put out but fortunately, decided to let it go.

By this time, we had reached the castle. I had to use all my will to stop from running through the giant doors and into the school. I closed my eyes and stepped over the threshold. I felt my eyes widen as I took in the grandeur of the school. I can't believe I'd missed out on two years of this place. _Wow, this place is great. I wonder why my parents insisted that I be home schooled._

Lily and I entered the Great Hall. There were candles suspended in midair floating around above four extremely long tables. As I followed one candles path around the room, I saw the night stars in the sky. _Wait, the sky? There's a ceiling so…oh wow, that's some brilliant wand work right there._ I realized that the sky was a meticulously detailed spell on the ceiling of the Great Hall. This place was amazing.

I was so involved in the setup of the Great Hall that I failed to notice the actual occupants. There was of course, the students, ages ranging from naïve eleven year olds to the hardened seventeen year olds ready to take their place in the wizarding community. At the end of the room, there was another long table, this one facing the heads of the other four house tables. I saw many teachers there. At the middle was the great wizard himself, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Another teacher caught my attention. He was, at present, talking to some students. I would learn later that he was Professor Slughorn.

Besides the living in Hogwarts, there were the ghosts. Lily led me to the Gryffindor house ghost, Nearly Headless Nick. We were introduced and I immediately felt a great liking to his charming manner. Lily and I took our seats next to him. We talked for a while longer. I noticed that the Great Hall was beginning to quiet down and I could hardly wait for the next marvel that I would experience at this school.

The new first years were all crowded around the front of the hall. A stern looking witch, placed a patchy hat on a stool at the front of the hall. Amazingly, it began to speak.

_Once again a new year's begun_

_Sorting shall take place again_

_And your houses shall be chosen._

_The houses you'll be placed in_

_Are all of noble sort_

_And there your knowledge will begin_

_And the fun shall start._

_So worry not, of the house_

_All are here to learn._

_But stick by your comrades_

_And your keep you'll earn._

I laughed with delight at the song and was glad to see that I wasn't the only one. That was one smart hat. I watched eagerly as the first years were called up to be sorted into their houses. After the last first year, Jenna Zyorik, was safely seen to her new seat at the Ravenclaw table, Professor Dumbledore clapped his hands for silence. All heads were turned towards him, save for some arrogant guys in Slytherin.

The headmaster looked down at each and every one of us, seeming to meet all of our eyes individually. Finally, he looked around the Great Hall, his bright blue eyes sparkling and began to speak.

"Welcome! And to old students, welcome back. Before our delicious feast begins, I would like to go over some of the basic rules. As usual, the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden. Any students who venture in its depths will be punished." _I guess that means I can't check it out._ I was a bit disappointed by the thought. "Also, Mr. Filch, who has decided to start off the year with a new revised list of illegal items that will be confiscated on sight." I heard snickering from down the table. When I looked, I saw James and Sirius. "Well, without further ado, let the feast commence." He clapped his hands once more.

I looked towards the back of the hall expecting someone to bring in the food. I abruptly smelled something appetizing and looked down at the table. There was so much food there. The whole table was lined with trays filled with food. There was a plate in front of me as well. I helped myself to some food. Before I knew it, I was full, and everyone else was pushing their plates away as well. That is, everyone except the aforementioned duo who were at present seeing who could wolf down the most treacle tart.

"Come on, Ria, I have to give everyone the password." She hopped out of her seat. I was confused for a moment then realized what she meant. There must be passwords for each of the dorms. One for each house.

"Wait, Lily. I'm not sure if I should know the password, I might not be in Gryffindor after all. She turned around and smiled at me.

"Don't worry, I asked Professor McGonagall and she said we could have a temporary password today. You can bunk in my dorm, we've always had an empty bunk." I smiled gratefully. I was glad to have found such a nice friend on my first day. "First years, over here please." There was a mad rush to get near Lily. Lily explained that they were on the way to their dorms. There was an excited squeal.

I followed the rest of them until we came to the staircases. I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, something familiar. My family home had a set of rotating staircases as well. It was necessary in order to make the most use of the space you had without having dozens of staircases. Honestly, I don't know how Muggles managed it.

"Gwerdy wing." I heard Lily say. A portrait of a rather rotund lady swung open admitting entrance to the Common room. It was homey, warm, and comforting. I hoped that I could be Sorted into Gryffindor. Lily told the boys and girls which way to go. Then, she took my hand and led me into her own room. There were two other girls there. Janine Taylor and Laura McDougal. I was too tired to ask them much, so I changed into my night wear of overlarge t-shirt and shorts and collapsed into bed.

"What's up with her?" I heard one of the girls ask. By this time, I was too far gone to have cared.


	4. Quality Time with Sirius

_Previously: Voria got her first look at Hogwarts, saw the Sorting, had the feast, and went to sleep in Lily's dorm. Thx for reading. ^_^_

_thx to:_

_**Iona-Findlay**_

_For reviewing!_

_I would like atleast 2 reviews before updating. it's not required but it would make me feel good. ^_^_

Quality Time with Sirius

The next day, Saturday, I woke up before everyone else. It was some sort of strange internal clock thing I had. If I had a certain thought before I went to bed of waking up at a time, then I usually woke up at that time. Give or take a half hour. It was 6:00 in the morning and I had to get ready for my meeting with Professor Dumbledore. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stretched my arms. It was probably going to be a long day.

I took some clothes out of the light duffel bag I had packed for easy use. Quietly, I tiptoed towards the door for the shower and bathroom. As soon as I flicked on the light, an annoying humming sound started. It seemed extremely loud in the otherwise quiet atmosphere. I showered as quietly as possible but killed my efforts when I stepped out of the shower and stubbed my toe on the edge of the tub. Of course, because it was me, I lost my balance and my knee hit the sink. This caused some items on the sink to fall over. _Great, now everyone is sure to be awake._

To my surprise, everyone was still in their beds when I sheepishly walked out of the bathroom. Then, I saw I slight smirk on Lily's face. _Oh, I get it. They're pretending to be asleep. Lil is trying not to laugh right now._ I tried to think of a devious plan. It's more difficult than you think. So instead, I decided to stretch and do odd things, like step aerobics in an attempt to make them all laugh. Yes, that is my devious plot. _I need to be more deceitful. _As I was glancing at Janine, I tripped over my own foot and fell over. This caused Laura to crack up. And you know how it is, when one person cracks up, so does everyone else. In minutes, we were all laughing.

"Wow-" Lily gasped between her spasms of laughter, "Your face was gold…I wish you could have seen it." I grinned and shook my head sadly.

"Lily, Lily, Lily. If only you used your brains for good and not evil."

"Oh shut it, Ri. You know you would have-" She stopped when she saw the expression on my face. "What's wrong, Voria?" I groaned in answer and jumped to my feet.

"Dumbledore," I said. That's all it took.

"Oh my god, I forgot you have to go. You know what they say about first impressions." I sighed. _Thanks Lil. I have to remember to thank you for your vote of confidence._ As I grabbed some books and pulled my hair into a messy ponytail, I tried to run/skid down the stairs. I had a long way to go. _I know I'm going to regret this._ Even though this was going through my head, I still decided to go with my idiotic time saving procedure.

I swung my right leg over the right banister on the staircase. Then, clutching my books close to my chest, I pushed gently off the wall, and I was going down the staircase. I really had to work to not close my eyes. When I finally reached the bottom, I ran to the portrait. It opened without me even having to say anything.

"Thanks, Moony, that was perfect-" I jumped. I heard a strangely familiar voice coming from in front of me…but there was nothing there. Shaking my head, I blamed my hallucination on nerves and jumped out into the corridor. I had expected it to be eerily empty, but it had a sort of warm feeling even this early in the morning. It was really different from my house, even before my parents disappeared.

I turned left and found myself facing the Fat Lady portrait again. _Great, now I'm going to be even later to my meeting with Professor Dumbledore._ I decided to actually watch where I was going this time. _Okay, last night we turned right to get into this corridor, so I'll turn left…here. Right, this looks kinda familiar. Now, I go…um…left again? No wait, then I'll be going back to the Gryffindor common room._ I made some random turns and somehow still ended up in front of the Fat Lady.

I groaned and sat on the ground and brought my legs in so that my knees were close to my face. I leaned against the wall and sighed. The day was not going well.

"Hello there, looks like someone needs a little help." I looked up at the voice and wondered if there was someone watching over me. _Or not_. Who should I see on this already horrible day but the arrogant, Sirius Black.

"Ugh, I so don't need this right now. Maybe you could just go torture someone else."

"Now, now, that's no way to speak to your potential savior." _Potential savior my butt._ He smirked at me. "So, tell me, where is it that you have to go. I know all the shortcuts." _This day it's one mistake after another._

"Dumbledore's office." I mumbled.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that." I sighed.

"Can you please take me to Dumbledore's office?" I breathed, trying to be as sarcastic as possible.

"We'll have to work on your manners," Sirius smirked. For some reason, and I hated this, a part of me tightened at the sight. I inwardly berated myself, _Just because he looked hot, doesn't make him any less arrogant. It probably fuels it._ Setting my priorities straight, I proceeded to get to my feet. I grabbed my books and followed Sirius.

"You know, you could try being less arrogant." I started.

"Oh, great advice from Ms. Sarcasm," he shot back. I sighed, I hoped that Dumbledore's office wasn't too far away. After following him for a while, I realized what had been nagging me.

"For some odd reason, I thought I heard your voice this morning," I said.

"Well, I do seem to have that effect on women." I scowled and turned away. "Well here we are, have fun." Sirius left me in front of a statue of a gargoyle. I looked at him. _What am I supposed to do with this?_ He winked at me, and then he was around the corner.

"Oh, great. Since the morning is going so well already, I'm just going to amuse myself by talking to a gargoyle statue." I rested my head against the crossed arms of the gargoyle. Suddenly it started to spin around, and I jumped back, startled. It seems Sirius led me to the right spot after all.


	5. A SemiGrand Tour of Hogwarts

_In the last chap. Sirius drops Ria off in front of Dumbledore's office. _

_I'm not sure whether Fawkes is male or female, but I'm gonna make it a him…_

_Okay, finally the part you've been waiting for. Ria's going to get her house. Please review._

_Thanks: _**CrouchingCrookshanks**

_And extra special thanks to:_

**Iona-Findlay**

_for reviewing my chapters so far…u make me feel good about myself…anyway Chapter 5 awaits! ^_^_

**A Semi-Grand Tour of Hogwarts**

I rested my head against the crossed arms of the gargoyle. Suddenly it started to spin around, and I jumped back, startled. As the gargoyle statue turned completely, I got a view of a winding staircase. It was obstructed, however, by a large man with a tangled up and overgrown beard. His eyes however seemed warm, and at the moment, his large cheeks were an odd shade of red. _He seems big, I wonder if he's part giant._

"Sorry, Professor Dumbledore, sir. I just thought you should know about the pumpkins is all. Sorry to disturb you."

"All is well, Hagrid. Don't worry."

"Right then, sir. I'll be on my way then." As the giant stumbled down the stairs, I moved out of the way just in case he fell. I didn't want to be crushed on my first official day at Hogwarts. Hagrid walked past me. Then, seeming to realize me he bent down towards me. "Good man, that Dumbledore, can't get a better Headmaster than him." I smiled, he seemed really nice. "Well, off to my cottage now."

"You live in that cottage near the woods? I don't mean to be pushy, but could I visit sometime?"

"Huh? Well, yeah, I s'pose so. The more the merrier, ay?" I grinned and nodded. As Hagrid moved past me, I got my first close-up look at Professor Dumbledore. His blue eyes were twinkling merrily.

"Perfect timing, Ria. I realized I forgot to instruct someone to give you the password, but fortunately we have worked around that. Come up, my dear, let's get you sorted."

"Um, okay, but I still need to pick out classes as well."

"All in good time. Now, if you'll follow me." He turned smartly and practically glided up the stairs. I hoped I'd get into Gryffindor. From what I've seen that's the best house, but Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad either. If all else fails, at least Hufflepuff students are sweet. Anything but Slytherin.

I stepped through the door that Dumbledore had held out for me. _Woah, this place is amazing._ There were tons of pictures on the walls, however most of them seemed to be sleeping. The room seemed warm and home-like. The desk on the other side looked cluttered and the room itself seemed to be used. The thing that fascinated me the most was the phoenix. From the plumes of its tail and the color of its feathers, this one seemed to be at the prime of its cycle.

"Professor, what's your phoenix's name?" He smiled down at me, his glasses almost sliding down his long nose.

"Ah, that is Fawkes. Beautiful creature, isn't he?" I grinned and nodded. Professor Dumbledore made me feel comfortable, as if I could confide in him about anything. This is much better than what could be said about my old teachers.

"Now, on to the matter at hand. We are here to get you sorted, I believe." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fawkes streak toward one of the shelves in the corner of the office. As he returned, he dropped something into Dumbledore's outstretched hand. It was the Sorting Hat. "Well, I suppose all that's left is for you to try the hat on. Don't worry, he can be quite charming if he puts his mind to it." He winked at me, "However it doesn't happen often." I stared at the hat he placed in my hand and took a deep breath.

Here goes nothing. I put the hat on and fervently hoped to be in Gryffindor. _So, _I heard a sarcastic voice in my head _you want to be in Gryffindor do you? Any particular reason or is it just some teenage whim?_

_Well, most of the people I've met are in Gryffindor,_ I answered back, _Sir._

_Is that so? No buttering me up now…Miss. I'll put you where I see fit._ I felt myself grin. It must've been an odd sight for Dumbledore to see me smiling at a conversation in my head. _However, as you remain persistent, I shall put you in Gryffindor._

I jumped out of my seat and yelled, "Really?" Then I realized I'd yelled out loud and sheepishly looked at Dumbledore. "Sorry, I was in the moment." He smiled at me.

"No, it's fine. It is always good for one to express his/her emotions." I've got to say, I love this guy. I think he's the coolest adult I've met in my life. It's too bad he doesn't actually teach the students. "Well, Ria, I suppose I should give you the grand tour seeing as there are no classes today." I nodded. That would be good. Then I wouldn't get lost.

I followed Dumbledore out of his office, gently placing the Sorting Hat in its place on the shelf. "Thanks," I whispered on my way out and patted his point. I'm not sure, but I think I saw a smile forming in the folds of its cloth.

"Coming, Ria?" I heard Dumbledore calling. I felt myself blush again and half ran half stumbled out of the room. Then, it was back down the winding staircase. "Hershey Kiss."

"What? You want a Hershey Kiss?"

"Yes, I've decided to try Muggle sweets this week," he explained as the gargoyle once again turned open. I wonder how he does it. Maybe it only opens from the inside. I notice as we step outside the passageway that it is bright and sunny outside now. I must have been inside for a while.

"Now, Ria, is there anyplace in particular you would like to see?" I thought for a while.

"Um, can we go tour the grounds? I caught a glimpse last night, but I was so excited that I didn't actually notice much." He smiled.

"Excellent idea. After all, it is a beautiful day today." We walked down the hall and down some stairs. And we walked down more stairs. Finally, we were in the Great Hall again. Dumbledore and I walked out the massive doors and out of the school.

Even though it was still pretty early, I'd say around 7:30, there were still a lot of students outside. Some of the more serious one were studying under trees, while others were pranking people or just hanging out. Guess who caught my eye? Sirius Black. Now, don't get the wrong idea, he only had my attention at the moment because he had some sort of firecracker and was trying to put it down some guy's pants. I frowned.

Dumbledore followed my gaze. "Ah, young Sirius. A prankster I believe, would be a good description of him."

"More like arrogant prick," I responded. Then, I remembered to whom I was talking to. "Sorry, I didn't mean to go off like that." _Stupid Sirius, messes me up even when he's no where near me._ I sighed. I looked up and saw that Dumbledore was already moving along.

"Well, I think it would be wise if I told you that those trees over there are the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. In case you need to refresh your memory, students are not allowed to enter that area." I don't know if it was just me, but did I see a twinkle in his eyes as he said that?

"Why not, sir? It doesn't look all that dangerous." I saw a movement deep in the forest. It was a silver white patch. I wished I could go see what it was. I looked around and noticed that there was a large tree that seemed to give lots of shade, but no one was sitting under it. "Why aren't any students sitting under that tree over there?"

"I believe that if one went anywhere near that tree, a painful injury would be waiting." I really couldn't believe it. A tree hurting people, yeah right. "That over there is the Hogwarts Lake, sometimes referred to as the Black Lake by its inhabitants."

"Inhabitants…like what?"

"Aren't you full of questions? That is good, curiosity is an admirable trait, if shown in small doses. There are many inhabitants, however it was the mermaids that call it the Black Lake." Wow, mermaids. I can't wait to sketch them…if I ever see them.

I saw Hagrid's cabin and wondered if we could go visit.

"Hmm, I'm sure Hagrid would enjoy our company, but I have some urgent work calling me. I'll have to leave you to your own devices for now. Do tell Hagrid I said hello though. And be careful around his tea and cakes, they can be rather inedible at times." He winked at me, turned around, and walked back to the school. His long white beard trailing along behind him.

Rather more cautious that I was, I walked towards Hagrid's cottage.

_sorry for taking so long to update. i got sick, then randomly got a dog (4 month golden retriever) so it's been kinda hectic. but to show how much i love the readers, the first thing i did (after not using my computer in over 2 weeks) was finish this chapter. hopefully i'll update by next week on actual classes and stuff. i luv u guys! ^_^_


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